Kakashi stood in his dimly lit basement, his new Sharingan eyes glowing softly in the mirror's reflection. He tilted his head, studying their form, each tomoe perfectly balanced, symmetrical, and clear.
The Genesis Seal had done it again. He wasn't just seeing through the eyes of another anymore. These Sharingan were his.
A cool wave of satisfaction rolled through him, but his mind didn't linger. There was still more to do, much more. The world wouldn't wait. Neither would the future.
He walked over to a desk, sat down, and began to sketch a few seals in his notebook while letting his thoughts drift. Two and a half years.
That's how long they had in the original timeline. After that, everything started to unravel. Orochimaru, Akatsuki, Pain, Madara. The shinobi world's calm was only a curtain over a brewing storm.
But now?
Sasuke was no longer a vengeful lone wolf. Naruto was no longer a hyperactive fool running into danger blindly. With the training, experience, and power they had now, Kakashi was sure, they were already at Shippuden-level strength, or even beyond.
Still, strength alone wasn't enough.
"They need something more," Kakashi muttered aloud, fingers tapping the desk. "Discipline. Insight. Mental toughness."
That's when the idea struck him. ANBU.
He remembered what the corps did for him, for Itachi, both the good and the bad. But under his watch, things would be different.
If Naruto and Sasuke spent a few months embedded in the ANBU, they'd understand what it really meant to be a shinobi. The subtlety. The burden. The necessity of hard choices. And they'd be doing so under a system he reformed from the inside out.
He closed the notebook and stood.
Tomorrow, he'd bring it up with Tsunade.
….
The Next Morning, Hokage Office
Sunlight filtered through the large windows of the Hokage office. Kakashi sat comfortably in the Hokage's chair, well, technically Tsunade's chair, but she was currently perched sideways on his lap, one arm lazily looped around his neck, the other holding a clipboard she was half-heartedly pretending to review.
"You like this seat a little too much," she teased, nuzzling his cheek.
"Maybe. Or maybe I just like the view." Kakashi chuckled.
Before Tsunade could fire back, a soft rustle of fabric and a tap echoed near the window.
Jiraiya.
Kakashi's eyes flickered once, but he kept his expression neutral. Tsunade, however, frowned deeply.
"You could use the damn door, you know!" she snapped, pointing her fist at him threateningly.
"Okay, okay! Sorry, force of habit!" Jiraiya raised both hands quickly.
He stepped fully into the office, eyes trailing for a split second to the closeness between his old teammates. There was a flicker of something in his gaze, melancholy, perhaps, but he masked it well.
"I heard some… unsettling things about the village lately. I came to see if it's true," Jiraiya said seriously.
Kakashi didn't respond immediately. Instead, he slid open a drawer and pulled out a thick folder. He tossed it onto the desk with a dull thud. "It's all in there."
Jiraiya opened it slowly, eyes scanning the documents, recorded crimes, covered experiments, bribery, and corruption. The actions of Danzo, Homura, and Koharu. The Sarutobi Clan's shadowy involvement. And Hiruzen's silent complicity.
"I… I didn't know it was this bad." Jiraiya's expression slowly darkened as he read, mouth tightening at the corners.
"You didn't want to know," Tsunade replied coldly. "Just like the rest. But you're lucky we didn't expose everything. We preserved the Hokage's reputation for the sake of the village. Not for Hiruzen the man."
"I'm sorry." Jiraiya's mouth opened slightly, then closed. He looked down and gave a small, genuine nod.
"Don't be sorry for them," she said sharply. "Be better."
Silence lingered until Tsunade's expression changed, her brows rising slightly, the ghost of a smirk playing on her lips. "You're lucky Kushina's not here right now. She's still mad you abandoned Naruto for all these years. Said she's gonna roast you alive."
"Wait… Kushina?! She's alive?!" Jiraiya's eyes widened, confused.
"Revived, actually. Don't worry, you'll see her soon. Just… maybe don't wear your usual cologne." Kakashi leaned back, smiling faintly.
Jiraiya looked bewildered but quickly shook it off. "Alright, I'll process that later. For now, I came up with another reason. I wanted to take Naruto on a two-year training journey. There are things he needs to learn. Control over the Kyūbi for one. And I have Minato's key."
"No." Kakashi raised an eyebrow.
"What?" Jiraiya blinked.
"There's no safer place for Naruto than by my side," Kakashi said calmly. "I've already helped him access up to four tails without losing control. He doesn't need to go with you."
"You helped him control four tails?!" Jiraiya's eyes widened. "But how?"
"My techniques," Kakashi interrupted. "Custom seals. You've been gone a while, Jiraiya. A lot has changed."
"I see. Then I guess… there's really nothing left I can teach him." The Toad Sage rubbed the back of his head, half in disbelief, half disappointed.
"Even his summon is a snake now. Not a toad. I guess I've been replaced." He looked down, his voice a bit heavier.
Kakashi's gaze softened. "He still respects you. But the boy doesn't need nostalgia, he needs truth. He's not a little kid anymore. And Kushina… she's been honest with him. About everything. Including you."
Jiraiya nodded silently, clearly deep in thought. He was about to turn and leave when Kakashi spoke again.
"Dinner. My place. Don't be late."
"Everyone gonna be there too?" The white-haired sage paused in the window.
"Sort of." Kakashi smiled behind half-lidded eyes.
Jiraiya gave a half-confused grunt and vanished in a swirl of wind and leaves.
Later That Day–Rooftop of the Hokage Tower
Kakashi stood alone on the rooftop, overlooking the village. His cloak billowed behind him gently as he watched the streets below.
So much had changed.
Danzo was gone. The Elders were removed. Secrets had been revealed. But rebuilding the village was only the first step. Strengthening it was the next step.
He reached into his vest and pulled out two official ANBU papers, marked for recommendation.
One for Naruto. One for Sasuke.
Under Tsunade's seal and authority, he would prepare them for the storm. Not with lectures or sparring, but with real shinobi work. Espionage. Ethics. Duty.
They were strong enough to fight Akatsuki. But were they ready to lead? To make sacrifices? To bear the weight of a village?
He'd find out.
Kakashi looked up at the setting sun, red light glinting in his new Sharingan.
"One step at a time," he whispered.